Serax News

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2017 – Is that sleeping pill you took last night making it tougher for you to drive in the daytime? What about a heart medication? Or a new antidepressant? New research shows that many people taking prescription drugs aren't aware that their meds could impair their ability to drive. "Most are aware of the potential dangerous side effects of sedatives and narcotics, but other ...

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2017 – More Americans are having trouble getting a good night's sleep, a national health survey found. And the number of people who use prescription sleeping pills in the quest for shuteye continues to increase – currently about 4 percent of Americans, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But are they safe? And are they even effective? Results ...

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 27, 2017 – One-third of older Americans take something to help them sleep, but most don't discuss their sleep problems with a doctor, a new survey finds. "Although sleep problems can happen at any age and for many reasons, they can't be cured by taking a pill, either prescription, over-the-counter or herbal, no matter what the ads on TV say," said poll director Dr. Preeti ...

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 2, 2017 – More U.S. babies go through drug withdrawal after birth these days, and researchers say doctors' prescribing practices are partly to blame. Moms-to-be who take prescription opioid painkillers plus psychiatric drugs for depression or anxiety have a 30 to 60 percent greater risk of giving birth to an infant in withdrawal than those taking opioids alone, researchers found. ...

WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 – In 2015, America's opioid epidemic took the lives of more than 33,000 people, but three simple steps might cut that number by about a third, a new study suggests. Those steps include: Not prescribing narcotic pain medicines or anti-anxiety drugs to people who are addicted to opioids; Counseling; Seeing a doctor every three months. "People with opioid use disorders ...

FRIDAY, June 9, 2017 – If your bed partner routinely struggles to fall asleep, you probably have some well-meaning advice. But it may be best to keep it to yourself. Australian sleep specialists found that when a loved one had insomnia, the partner's suggested solutions – including watching TV or going to bed earlier – often backfired. "It is possible that partners are unwittingly perpetuating ...

TUESDAY, May 2, 2017 – Falls and resulting hip fractures can prove disabling and even fatal for seniors. And new research suggests the risk of hip fractures rises soon after an older person is prescribed a sleeping pill. Specifically, older people are at greater risk for hip fractures for two weeks after they start taking prescription sleeping pills. Those pills include benzodiazepines such as ...

SUNDAY, Feb. 26, 2017 – This will come as no surprise to mothers, but a new survey finds that women with children living at home are more likely to be sleep-deprived than women without children. However, the presence of children in the home did nothing to alter men's sleep patterns. The researchers also found that women with children reported feeling tired more days a month than their child-free ...

-- Your sleep schedule doesn't have to be determined by family, work and social commitments. You can figure out optimal bed and wake times that afford the best, most restful sleep. The National Sleep Foundation suggests: Figure out what time you need to wake up each morning, and count backwards to figure out when you should head to bed. Seven-to-nine hours of sleep is optimal. Consider your ...

THURSDAY, Feb. 9, 2017 – Ever noticed that when you try to "do it all," the one thing you can count on is getting sick? Now, a new study suggests why: if you don't get enough sleep, your immune system seems to suffer. The finding comes from a study of 11 pairs of twin adults. Each pair of twins had significantly different sleeping routines. The researchers found that the twin who regularly slept ...

-- Sleep experts estimate that up to 50 percent of all insomnia is caused by stress. If stress wakes you up in the middle of the night, here's what you can do to put yourself back to sleep: 1. If you haven't already, set an alarm for when you need to wake up, and then turn the clock around so you're not watching the minutes tick by. 2. Notice any anxiety you might be feeling in your chest and see ...

THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 – Spending time in the outdoors may improve your sleep, a small study suggests. Researchers found that a week of winter camping reset the body's "clock" to be more in tune with nature's light-and-dark cycle. The result was longer sleep. The findings, the study authors said, add to evidence that time in the sun and the dark helps people get to sleep at a decent hour. The ...

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 1, 2017 – A more satisfying sex life may be only a good night's sleep away for women over 50, new research finds. Researchers led by Dr. Juliana Kling of the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., tracked data from nearly 94,000 women aged 50 to 79. The investigators found that 31 percent had insomnia, and a little more than half (56 percent) said they were somewhat or very satisfied ...

TUESDAY, Jan. 31, 2017 – In case you don't know what makes for healthy sleep habits, a U.S.-based expert panel has defined them for you in a new report. The key indicators include: sleeping at least 85 percent of the total time spent in bed; falling asleep within 30 minutes or less; waking up no more than once a night; and being awake for 20 minutes or less after initially falling asleep. The ...